Glass melting furnace



Feb. 10, 1942. 2 L.. s. LONGENECKER GLASS MELTING FURNACE Filed June 29,1940 3 Sheets-Shee'rl l Feb- 10, l942 L. sfLYoNGENEcKER GLASS MELTINGFURNACE Filed June 29, 1940 s sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR www# lFeb. '10,1942.

L. S. LONGENECKER GLASS MELTING FURNACE Patented Feb. 10, 1942 UNITEDSTATES I PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to continuous tank type furnaces for meltinggranular materials, among which are included granular glass batchmaterial, and to the construction of the furnace end into which thegranular material is fed.

Two applications filed jointly by H. L. Haibach, Walter G. Koupal, andWilliam Owen and Serially Numbered 318,876 and 329,096 (hereinafterreferred to as said joint applications) disclose continuous tank typeglass melting furnaces, which, instead of the usual dog house at thematerial feeding end thereof, have the furnace tank at such end extendedoutwardly for an appreciable distance beyond the roof of the furnaceheating chamber, so that the bath of molten glass at such end extendsoutwardly beyond the roof of the furnace heating chamber.

These applications also disclose a stationary wall for closing the endof the furnace heating chamber adjacent such tank extension, and which,terminating a short distance above the molten bath level in such tankextension, is provided with a horizontal portion which pro- 'jectstoward the outer wall of such tank extension to form a low level roofwhich covers a sub-` stantial portion of such extension. This low levelroof, located as it is but a slight distance above the molten bathlevel, provides, in conjunction with the molten bath therebeneath arelatively long narrow slot through which the batch material may be fedinto the tank proper.

These applications also disclose a method of and means for feedinggranular batch material evenly onto the exposed surface of the moltenbath Within the tank extension. l

The batch feeding means (several forms are shown) of these applicationsare so designed as to feed the granular batch or glass making material,uniformly onto the exposed surface of the molten bath within the tankextension, to form thereon a relatively thin layer` or blanket of suchmaterial, which, beginning adjacent the outer wall of the tankextension, extends beneath the low level roof and into the tank properwhere it is progressively melted.

This blanket; during its progress beneath said low level roof, andbecause of the nearness ofsaid roof to the upper surface of the blanketand the high temperature at which the low level roof is maintained, hasthe particles of the granular material forming the upper portion thereofsintered or fritted together, so that no dustis carried from the blanketinto the checkers by the llames as they sweep across the heatingchamber.

One object of this invention is to produce a vertically adjustable wallfor closing the material feeding vend of the heating chamber of a tanktype furnace in which the tank at such end extends outwardly or beyondthe roof of the furnace heating chamber at such end.

Another object is to produce, for the material feeding end of a tanktype furnace, a vertically adjustable wall which is supportedindependently of the wallsand roof of the furnace.

Another object is to produce a vertically adjustable furnace vwall foruse in conjunction with the batch feeding method and means of saidapplications.

A still further object is to produce a furnace wall foruse inconjunction with the batch feeding method and means of saidapplications, and which is so designed as to form therebeneath andwithin its confines, what may be termed a fritting or sintering chamberwithin which the granular particles forming the upper portion of thebatch blanket, produced by said feeding means, are sintered or frittedtogether as such blanket moves therethrough on its way to the furnacechamber.

These, as well as other objects, which will be apparent to those skilledin this particularl art, I attain by means of the structures described yin the specification `and illustrated in the drawings accompanying andforming part of this application.,

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view partially in section and partially in end elevationof a vertically adjustable wall structure embodying this invention. Thiswall structure is shown in position at the material or batch feeding endof a continuous tank type glass melting furnace equipped with batchfeeding means for carrying out the meth- 0d of said joint applications;the furnace tank extension and batch feeding means being shown insection.

Fig. 2 is a view partially in top plan and partially in section of thestructure shown in Fig. 1 with the batch feeding means omitted;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of one half' of the structure shown inFig. 2 and with the batch feeding means omitted. This view is taken online III- III of Fig. 2l and illustrates the outer side of the end wallof Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an elevational view taken on line IV-Ill` of Fig. 2 andillustrates one-half of the innerside of the end wall of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a View in perspective of a portion of the metal frameworkentering into'the construction of my end Wall;

Fig. 6 is an end view partially in section and partially in elevation ofthe metal framework of Fig. with the wall refractories diagrammaticallyshown in place. This view illustrates the means for cooling both thehanger and the refractories;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of 'a water cooled bottom member whichserves as the cover for the sealing lip forming part of my end wallstructure;

Figs. 8 to 13 inclusive are perspective views of details of therefractory support means utilized in securing the refractories to thesupport frame of my end Wall structure; and

Fig. 14 is a top plan view of part of the wall aligning means.

In the drawings, I 5 represents the side Walls of the heating chamber ofa continuous tank type glass melting furnace. I6 represents the roof ofthe heating chamber, I1 the tank proper, which is located beneath theheating chamber, and I8 an extension of the tank which projectsoutwardly beyond the roof of the heating chamber and the end walls I9 ofsaid chamber. 20 represents the side walls of the tank extension and 2Ithe outer wall of said extension.

From the drawings and particularly from Fig. 2 thereof, it will be seenthat extension I8 of the tank is but slightly less in width than thetank proper.

22 represents the hopper of a device for feeding granular batch or glassmaking material 23 onto the uncovered or exposed surface of the moltenbath 24 Within tank extension I8.

This feeding device is similar to the one disclosed in said application329,096 and is provided with an intermittently operating pusher 25 and apivotally mounted displacer plate 26. The feeding device is positionedabove the outer wall 2| of the tank extension and is adapted to depositonto the surface of the molten glass bath 24, increments 21 of arelatively thin blanket of the granular batch material.

Each increment of the blanket is of a length substantially equalling thewidth of the tank extension, or the distance between the end walls 20 ofsuch extension, and each increment is of a Width substantially equallingthe length of each displacing movement of pusher 25.,

It is to be understood that I make no claim to the batch or materialfeeding device nor to the method of feeding such material hereindisclosed or as disclosed in either of said joint applications. Myinvention relates to the material feeding end of the furnace structureand the wall for closing such furnace end.

The wall included in my invention comprises a structure which ispositioned above the tank extension and is supported independently ofthe furnace roof I6 and side walls I5. The wall comprises a verticallyextending portion which as a whole is numbered 28 and which is made upof refractory blocks 29; a horizontally extending portion which, as awhole is numbered 30, and is made up of refractory blocks 3i 32 and 33and a row or course of refractory nose blocks or tile 34 which connectssaid vertical and horizontal wall portions.

The vertical as well as the horizontal wall portions are made up of rowsor courses of interlocking refractory blocks or tile such as broadlydisclosed in United States Patent 1,590,303 issued to me on January 29,1926, while the nose is preferably formed of interlocking refractoryblocks or tile such as disclosed in United States Patent 1,977,799issued to me on October 23, 1934.

The rows or courses making up the vertical and horizontal portions, aswell as the row of blocks or tile forming the nose are carried by a nelsection and a number of vertically spaced and aligned horizontal supportmembers 36 of I or H section, and an additional support member 31 of Ior H section and which is horizontally spaced from the lowermost section36. These vertically and horizontally extending sections are rigidlyconnected together by means of suitable angles and plates such as angles38 and plates 39.

Each of the sections 36 has an angle 40 secured to the top thereof andthis in effect forms an upwardly extending flange. Each such angecarries a row of brackets 4I (Fig. l1) which are suspended therefrom bymeans of hook-like projections 42.

Certain of the tile or blocks of the vertical wall portion, such as tileor blocks 44 and 45, are supported in place by the outwardly extendingflange or foot portions 46 of said brackets 4I, while the remainingblocks or tile forming the vertical wall portion are attached tobrackets 4I by means of hanger members 41 (Fig. 8).

The tile or blocks forming the horizontal portion of the wall arecarried by hangers such as 41 and these are secured within a bracketmember 48 (Fig. 12). These in turn are secured to the lower beam 36 andbeam 31. Each nose block or tile 34 is primarily held in place by ahanger member 49 which is secured to its bracket 48.

Each bracket 48 at one end is provided with inwardly projecting portions50 which hook over the outer lower ilange of the H or I beam section 35.The opposite end of bracket 48 is secured to the outer lower ange of Ior H beam section 31 by means of a clip 5I (Fig. 10), which is bolted toa pad 52 formed adjacent one end of bracket 48. A similar clip, whichlies over the inner lower flange of lower H or I beam section 36, isbolted to a similar pad 53 formed intermediate 'the ends of bracket 43.

Each block or tile 33 is held in place against outward4 movement byAmeans of a stop plate 54 (Fig. 9) which is bolted to a pad-likeprojection 55 formed at the outer end of bracket 48.

The gaps or spaces between the adjacent outer flanges of beams 36 areclosed by cover plates Eli and the space or gap between the lowest beam36 and beam 31 is closed by means of a cover plate 51. These coverplates in combination with the horizontal beams 36-36-36--31 form an airchannel between the support frame and the inner faces of therefractories forming the wall portions, as indicated by arrows in Fig.6.

A wind box 58 adapted to be connected to a source of supply of coolingair under pressure is carried by the frame structure and is providedwith a row of outlet nozzles 59 for leading the cooling air from thewind box to the space between bracket members 48, and the upper faces ofthe tile or blocks forming the horizontal por.

tion of the wall. This is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 6.

The frame structure at each end is provided aars-,217

with an upper support 60 and a lower supportJGlI and each of thesesupports carries a pair of guide rollers 62. The guide rollers of eachpair'bear against opposite sides of a plate 63, thus assisting inpreventing the end wall structure from A tilting. y

These plates 63 are secured to buckstays 64 which are located adjacentthe junction of the outer surfaces of end wall portions I9 of theheating chamber and`side wall portions 20 of the tank extension.

Buckstays 65 positioned on opposite sides of the furnace chamberadjacent the tank extension are connected together by means of an I beam66, and buckstays 64 and I beam 66 are tied together by means of a tiemade up of channels 61 and plate-like members 68 which are locatedbetween the channel sections of buckstays 64, and to which they arebolted by means of bolts 69. Channel sections 61 carry spaced channels10 and 1l and these in turn are tied to I beam 66 by means of tiemembers 12. Channels 10 and 1| are spaced apart and have mounted thereonplates 13 which 'are pierced to loosely receive threaded adjusting andsupporting screw rods 14. Adjusting nuts 15 threaded to receive saidrods, bear on anti-friction bearings 16 which are interposed betweensaid nuts and plates 13.

The lower end-of each threaded rod 14 is provided with an eye 11, andabolt 18' which passes through said eye secures its rod 14 to the upperend of spaced links 19. These links straddle a plate 80 and spacers 8|secured to end support channel 35, and are pivotally connected to saidplate and spacers by a pivot bolt 82. The metal framework of my end wallis thus supported independently of the furnace roof and side walls andis capable of being adjusted to different vertical positions.

Aligning screws 83 'carried by blocks 84 attached to plate 88 andspacers 8l, have their inner ends bearing against the edge faces oflinks 19 and these screws are utilized in positioning rods. 14 so.- thatsaid rods will be in line with the center of mass of the wall structure.

Tile or blocks 33 which form the inner edge of the refractory portion ofhorizontal wall part 36 are longer than tile or blocks 3l and blocks ortile 32 are also longer than tile or blocks 3l and have their lowersurface angled as shown in Fig. 1,' so as to bridge the gap between thelower faces of tile 33 and the lower face of the' outermost tile 3|.These two rows or courses comprising block or tile 33 and block or tile,32, form a downwardly depending lip for the outer edge of thehorizontal portion of my end wall.

A series of hollow metal L-shaped members 85, shown in more or lessdetail in Fig. '1, have their lower leg 86 located below the lower facesof the blocks 33. Each of these hollow L-shaped members is supported forvertical adjustment independently of the wall, by means of two spacedvertically extending adjustment and support screws 81 which pass throughsupport plates 88 attached to beam 31 and are held in adjusted positionby means of nuts 81a.

Each of these L-shaped members is provided with an inlet pipe 89 and anoutlet pipe k9|) and these pipes are adapted to be connected to a sourceof supply of cooling water, so that cooling water is continually fedtherethrough. These water cooled members, in reality rform the lip ofthe horizontal portion of my end wall structure and blocks 32 and 33serve as refractory barriers for protecting said members from the names.

' claim as new and desire `to secure by Letters Pati The horizontalportion of my end wall constitutes a low level roof for the major partof the tank extension.

For normal loperation of the tank type furnace equipped with my end wallstructure, the position of said wall will be so adjusted by adjustmentnuts 15 that the lower faces of the L-shaped water cooled memberscontact with increments 21 of the blanket as they are moved therebeneathand toward the tank proper so as to prevent any name sting out. v

The heat radiated by the horizontal portion of my end wall (which ismaintained at a high temperature by the flames within the furnacechamber) serves to frit or sinter together the upper particles ofgranular batch material forming the blanket. This occurs as the blanketprogresses toward the furnace heating chamber so that by `thetime theblanket reaches such chamber, it is in proper condition to receive thefuel names without the danger of agitating the particles forming itsAseat and raising dust therefrom.

As I have said, the fritting or sintering chamber is formed by thehorizontal portion 30 of myend wall and its outer lip or downwardlyextend' ing ange formed by tiles orblocks 32 and 33 and the water cooledL-shaped member which is vertically adjustable independently of thewall. The chamber in reality is formed by this horizontal wall portionand the molten bath extension located therebeneath.

I prefer to adjust the vertical height of the wall so that the underface of the frit ing cham-l ber will radiate sufficient heat to eciently frit or sinter together the particles forming the entire uppersurface of the blanket as it moves through said chamber. i

My belief is that the lower face of the fritting chamber roof should notbe more than fifteen inches above the surface of the molten glass baththerebeneath. The actual distance, of course, will depend upon thethickness of the blanket and, ordinarily the distance between thesurface of the glass bath and said roof, will be from six speed withwhich the blanket is moved through the fritting chamber. The speed oftravel of the blanket will, of course, depend upon the amount of glassbeing withdrawn from the glass tank. It is, however, advisable to varythe height of the fritting chamber in accordance with thespeed'ofmovement of the blanket and the thick-` ness of the blanket.

In 'case of a layover, my end wall may be lowered, if desired, so as toprevent any flame sting out and as I have said before, the lower legs ofthe water-cooled L-shaped members contact with the blanket incrementsmoving therebeneath and thus prevent flame sting out during normaloperation of the batch feeding means.

Having thus described my invention, what I ent is:

l. In a. furnace for melting granular material and having a heatingchamber, a tank below said chamber for containing a molten bath of suchmaterial and having an extension for receiving the granular material tobe melted and 'which projects outwardly beyond the roof of said chamber,a wall extending across said tank extension and which comprises avertical section, and a horizontal section which joins said verticalsection, extends outwardly away from the heating chamberand forms a lowlevel roof for they major part of the tank extension; the constructionand arrangement of said wall being such that its horizontal section ismaintained at a sulcient temperature by the ames within the heatingchamber to occasion fritting or sintering of the upper portion at leastof the granular material supported by the molten bath therebeneathbefore said material is moved into the heating chamber.

2. In a furnace for melting granular glass making material and having aheating chamber, a tank below said chamber for containing a molten glassbath, and which extends outwardly beyond the heating chamber at thematerial re ceiving end of the furnace and is of substantially the samewidth as that portion of the tank below the heating chamber, a'wallwhich extends across said tank extension and comprises averticalrseotion and a horizontal section which joins said verticalsection, extends outwardly away from the heating chamber and forms a lowlevel roof for the major part of the tank extension; the constructionand arrangement of said wall being such that its horizontal section ismaintained at a sufficient temperature by the flames within the heatingchamber to occasion fritting or sintering of the upper portion at leastof the granular material supported by the molten bath therebeneathbefore said material is moved into the heating chamber.

3. A wall as dened in claim 1 and which is supported independently ofthe furnace roof and side walls.

4. A wall as defined in claim 1 and which is supported independently ofthe furnace roof and side walls, in combination with means for adjustingthe same vertically to vary the distance between the lower face of itshorizontal section and the surface of the bath within the tankextension.

5. A wall as defined in claim 1 and which at the outer end ot itshorizontal section is provided with a depending lip which extends acrossthe same from side to side. v

6. A Wall as dened in claim 1, and which at the outer end of itshorizontal section is provided with a vertically adjustable water cooledmember.

7. A wall as defined in claim 1 and in which its vertical and horizontalsections are formed of refractory blocks supported from a metalstructure by means of hangers which ,are attached to certain of saidblocks, and means for circulating cooling air between said blocks andsaid metal structure.

LEVI S. LONGENECKER.

